Zane Cobalt, the MuggleBorn Slytherin
by Zoken
Summary: 20 years in the future some call him dashing, other say he's brave, his friends call him loyal, his teachers call him smart, but the sorting hat had him pinned best: he is ambitious. yet can he survive the snakes den? also what makes this boy so unique?
1. Zane Cobalt

Okay this is a new story; it takes place twenty years after what we have now. Some things always change; some things however never do, such as Hogwart's. The castle will always stand, the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher will change every year, and there will always be one student who can't seem to keep himself or his friends out of trouble. This generation's student is one Zane Cobalt. He is odd, he is different. And he is also more than a little familiar.  
  
Zane Cobalt, the Muggle-Born Slytherin  
  
Wizards and Mudbloods  
  
Zane was born in the very room he now lives in. Had his parents been American, they would have been called Hippies. Zane was born with an odd birth mark on his forehead above his right eye. It is in the shape of a lightening bolt. No one can exactly remember seeing it before, but there is something familiar about it. Even his room is odd. He often hears strange noises coming from the wall that he shares with his neighbors. Yet when he asks about the noises, no one there can figure out what he means. Life at number thirteen Grimmauld Place, London, was just plain odd.  
  
Zane was most often annoyed that strange stuff always seemed to happen to him, when he got teased for his birthmark, gusts of wind would knock over the teasers. When he was young his parents always found him talking to snakes, but he hadn't tried it in years . . . but in some memories, the snakes would actually talk back. Zane had been bored all his life, all eleven years of it.  
  
As his last year of primary school ended, his parents began talking about what schools he should attend. Zane never considered any of this much. He would just sit in his room, and stare out the window, and dream of something more exciting. Then one day his dream came true as he watched an owl swoop down and drop something on the morning mail. When his parents called him in, they said he had a letter. Zane had no friends, especially not any who would write. As he looked at the envelope he knew no one he knew could have sent this. It was on old parchment and sealed with wax. He opened it up and began to read.  
  
Dear Mr. Z. Cobalt;  
  
I am proud to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwart's school of witchcraft and wizardry. Please respond by August first. Enclosed is your ticket for the Hogwart's express which leaves Platform 9 and ¾ at Charring Cross promptly at eleven A.M. enclosed is also a list of books and supplies you will need. Diagon Alley is the recommended location for your school shopping.  
  
Thank you and congradulations  
  
Severus Snape  
  
Deputy Headmaster.  
  
Zane looked at his parents with confusion. They read the letter and didn't understand it any better than he did. All three assumed that it was a prank and tossed the letter. Later Zane recovered it, for reasons he himself wasn't sure of, and saved the book list and the ticket.  
  
Fortunately for Zane, Hogwart's is anything if not persistent. In a short amount of time, there were hundreds of letters, and the Cobalt's were trying their damnedest to find out what all this meant. It was at the beginning of the last week in July when a stranger turned up on Zane's street. The stranger he saw was a woman with bushy brown hair, and a good figure. She seemed, to Zane, to be staring right between his home and the home next to his. Then she walked up to his door and knocked.  
  
Zane waited on the stairs and listened as his parents talked to the woman.  
  
"Hello, my name is Prof. Granger. I am here representing Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is assumed that you don't understand what the letters mean. Is that correct?"  
  
"Yes," said Mrs. Cobalt "IS this some sort of joke? A school for teaching children to be witches and wizards?"  
  
"No, no, no," said the Prof. Granger, "One cannot learn how to be witch or wizard," he heard his parents sigh in relief, "You have to be born one, like your son."  
  
It took two hours for her to convince his parents of the legitimacy of the school. Eventually she had to change a teapot into a turtle. His parents said miracle, she said third year transfigurations. In the end she said her job, aside from teaching the transfigurations class, was to meet with Muggle-borns and their families and help them to understand the wonderful opportunity that is presenting itself. She would take him through the market place, and help him to open an account in the wizard bank. Basically her job was to make him less of a stranger to the wizard world.  
  
The words that eventually changed his parents' minds were "Aside from supplies, the school is free." The next day he was off with the strange woman into the heart of London.  
  
She took him into a pub, which he found strange enough, but then the woman, who always acted so stately and aristocratic, was well recognized. People would tip their hats to her, or come up to shake her hand and give condolences for something. She just kept telling them, "It was almost eleven years ago, I have moved on. I am at peace with it."  
  
She lead them through the back of the building and into the small alley way. She tapped the bricks and the entrance to a new street appeared. As Zane stepped through, she grabbed his shoulder and said, "Let's not get separated. Diagon Alley is a busy place. I especially don't want you wandering down into Knockturn Alley."  
  
As they walked down the street he looked to her and asked, "Why were people giving you their condolences?"  
  
"My fiancé died almost eleven years ago, he was very famous. I guess my intending to marry him made me famous by association. Actually," she said a little brighter than he expected on this topic, "it will be eleven years ago this Wednesday. It would also have been his thirty-seventh birthday."  
  
"He died on his birthday?" Zane asked.  
  
"Mm hmm. It was planned that way by a very evil man. Luckily for the world, that man died that day too."  
  
"And his birthday would have been Wednesday?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"Wednesday is my eleventh birthday." He didn't know if this was something she really cared to know, but it seemed to soften her expression.  
  
"Well, isn't that something. You know, my fiancé made his first trip down here around his birthday too."  
  
"Was he muddie-bord?"  
  
"That's Muggle-Born, and no, but he was raised by Muggles."  
  
"Here we are, the first stop of the day." They had stopped in front of a large marble building. "This is Gringott's, the Wizard's bank. The goblins inside will help you set up an account and change the Muggle money your folks gave ya." After half an hour, they came back out with a bag full of coins.  
  
"Next stop," she said gesturing to the large shop in front of her. the sign had only the name on it, "Olivander's".  
  
Here we will pick up your wand. Er . . . why don't you go a head, he knows what he's doing. I will meet up with you when you come out." with that she disappeared around a corner.  
  
He walked in and heard the bell ring. The old man who must run the place saw him and said, "First year at Hogwart's? Need your first Wand?"  
  
"Yes sir," Zane said. He jumped as a set of tape-measures came flying at him. They began to measure his entire body. Even some parts he really thought didn't need to be measured. After a while, Mr. Olivander came back with a small stack of boxes. He pulled wands out and handed them to Zane, he waved each once, and something detonated. Zane would have thought that that was a good sign, but apparently not. They must have gone through fifty, and then Mr. Olivander said, "Stay here, I will go look in the back."  
  
Zane looked around the store. The only wands to be outside of the shelves, aside from those he had been trying, were two red ones on a display stand. The sign said, "The tools of light and dark." He picked up one and looked it over. It definitely looked like it had been through a bit of a work out, the other one too. When he picked up the second wand, something filled him with warmth.  
  
He held it and waved it around, but nothing blew up. Zane wondered if that was a good sign. He also wondered if these would be more expensive since they were obviously special. Mr. Olivander came in and saw what he was holding and promptly dropped all the boxes of wands he had been carrying. "Oh dear!" he squeaked.  
  
Zane put the wand back on its stand and thought he was about to be chucked out. "Young man," said Mr. Olivander, "Pick up that wand again."  
  
Zane picked it up, more carefully this time. Mr. Olivander scribbled something down on a scrap of paper and gave it to him and said, "Point the wand and say this."  
  
Zane pointed the wand at a pile of boxes and said, "Lumos." A shaft of light shot from the end of the wand. Zane was afraid it was going to catch something on fire. He fumbled it, and the light went out. he held it close to his chest and was about to set it down again when Mr. Olivander spoke again, "Never in my life have I seen such a thing."  
  
"What thing," Zane asked.  
  
"I have never seen a wand re-cycle itself. I have never seen a wand choose a second owner." Zane looked down at the wand he had held. So it was second hand. That explained all the wear and tear. "The owners of those two wands did great things with them . . . one of them did terrible things . . . but great things. I have said this only once before; I believe we can expect great things from you sir."  
  
"Er . . . um, how much do I owe you for the wand. I expect its expensive." Zane was afraid of how much it might cost.  
  
"Well, I seem to recall that in other businesses, when a product is used and sold again, the second time it is sold it is actually cheaper. This is the first time I have ever sold a wand again. So I think to mark this incredible occasion . . . the wand is yours, take it."  
  
Zane, while he did grow up loved, hadn't met a person this generous ever. "Thank you Mr. Olivander."  
  
The old man simply smiled and shooed him out the door. That was where he bumped into Prof. Granger. "He I was wondering if you were done yet. It took me three hours to find a good wand."  
  
Zane looked down and saw she was carrying a bird cage. "Happy birthday," she said. Inside the cage was a small black bird. It cawed and looked right at Zane, as if asking, "Are you the one in charge?"  
  
"It's a raven," he said.  
  
"Yes. You struck me as different. she may not be able to handle large packages, but she can get mail around no problem."  
  
"Mail?" Zane still hadn't figured out why those owls had been visiting his home.  
  
"In the wizarding world, we have owls deliver mail usually, but really any bird will do." Zane opened the cage and held his hand out to the small creature. It jumped on to his hand and climbed up his shoulder. "What are you going to name her?"  
  
Zane thought for a moment, and then said, "Nevermore."  
  
"Clever," commented Prof. Granger.  
  
After purchasing quills, books, parchment, bags, cauldrons, potions ingredients, and having lunch at Florean Fortesque's, they made their last stop at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. As he stood their getting measured, a man with two children came walking in. he was taller than Prof. Granger, and had platinum blonde hair that was slicked down to his head. He was followed by two children Zane's age. The new man cast a foul look on Prof. Granger.  
  
"Malfoy," she commented in a barely civil tone.  
  
"Mudblood," he said without even looking at her.  
  
Madam Malkin came back in from the back and began taking measurements on all three preteens. Both of the kids that had come with "Malfoy" had platinum blonde hair as well. One was a boy who wore his hair exactly like his father. The other was a girl, she allowed her hair to flow. It was down to her waist.  
  
Zane's thought were inturupted as once again the automatic measuring tape got a little too personal. "Geez, how many people here really need to know *that* measurement. I mean it's the second time I've been measured there."  
  
Both of the other kids laughed until their father shushed them and said, "Do not asossiate with this miscreant. If he is with her, then he is a Mudblood."  
  
Madam Malkin stood up immediately on hearing that word again and said sternly to all three blondes, "Get out now. I could stand you insulting them before that word, but not after. Get out." with a flourish, they all turned and left muttering about better places to put this one out of business.  
  
"Sorry deary," she said, "I wouldn't have done that if you weren't with her," she said gesturing to Prof. Granger. "I have a lot of respect for her."  
  
Prof. Granger smiled a little, and said "Thank you."  
  
"Um, what is a 'Mudblood'?"  
  
"It is a derogatory remark," answered Prof. Granger, "about people whose parents are either one magical or none magical. That is to say, like you and I, we are Muggle-borns. Our parents are not magical, so some people think that that makes them better than us. A lot of this blood stuff is just stupid."  
  
Zane shook his head. Even here there were idiots who claimed they were better.  
  
Prof. Granger walked him home that night and told him, "I will pick you up at seven A.M. on the first of September. Be ready please.  
  
He went to sleep that night and dreamt of strange things. He dreamt of casting spells, of falling in love, of putting a curse on all three of those blond morons. Most of all he dreamt of having people who would understand him. Yeah, understanding that would be nice. 


	2. The Hogwart's Express

Zane Cobalt, the Muggle-Born Slytherin  
  
Hogwart's Express.  
  
Zane woke up at five A.M. on the morning of September first with a smile on his face. his father was already off to work, but his mother watched him pack with glee. She looked back down at her coffee and sighed. Zane thought, as he carried the trunk he had purchased in Diagon Alley, that they had been rather distant since he had gotten back. Neither had really spoken to him quiet the same as they had before, probably because he wasn't acting like he had before.  
  
Since he had returned he had immersed himself in his new school books. He poured over the theory of different spells and potions. He loved the sound of flying on a broomstick. He had been dieing to try spells he had been reading about out on different things, but he had been instructed by Prof. Granger that it was illegal for him to do spells when not at Hogwart's. All his life, Zane had wanted adventure and now he felt he would actually have it. He was in the dining room, eating breakfast and reading Hogwart's, a History, when there was a knock at the door. He whistled to Nevermore who fluttered to his shoulder. He had been taking her with him everywhere. He checked his watch, they still had fifteen minutes.  
  
He opened the door and there stood Prof. Granger. "Sorry I'm early, force of habit." Mrs. Cobalt invited her in. the women sat in the living room talking about different activities at Hogwart's. Zane's ears perked up at the sound of the broomstick game "quidditch". "Plus," added Prof. Granger, "There is always a way for students to blow off steam." Here eyes went glassy as she remembered her own time at Hogwart's.  
  
After fifteen minutes they were off too the station. Even being in London he didn't get into Charring Cross until ten o'clock. They hurried to Platforms nine and ten, and Zane looked about in a confused way. Then he caught a wisp of conversation. A tall lean woman had just said, "Always like this on the first. Packed with Muggles."  
  
He turned to get a better look at her, she had long, bright red hair. Her husband was round and blonde, and the girl, Zane's age, had her mother's hair. Prof. Granger called out to them, "Gin! Neville! And there's my niece! How are you Shelly?"  
  
The family came over too give hugs to Prof. Granger. Then "Gin" looked down at Zane and asked, "This one of the students you were picking up?"  
  
"The only one this year. Zane these are my friends Ginny Longbottom, and her husband, Neville Longbottom. And this is their daughter, Shelly Longbottom." Prof. Granger's introduction was barely heard as he stared in awe at the new wizards, especially the girl. She had warm brown eyes and hair like a river of fire.  
  
He swallowed the lump in his throat and thrust out his hand and said, "Hello, I'm Zane."  
  
"Hello, my name is Shelly. Its nice to meet you."  
  
After a lot of talking, Neville asked, "So Zane, have you decided which house you think your best for?"  
  
"House sir?"  
  
he had said, "Oh yes, with the her pedigree, Shelly is bound for Gryffindor . . ." before Prof. Granger hit him on the arm.  
  
"Neville, it is Hogwart's tradition that they don't know about that!" she was fairly irked, and Neville sort of dropped his head. "Honestly Neville, I love you, but if you are going to work at Hogwart's you are going to have to think about things more."  
  
"Mr. Longbottom is going to work at Hogwart's?" asked Zane.  
  
"Yeah," chirped Shelly, "He is going to be the assistant Herbology teacher!"  
  
Neville blushed a little at his daughters excitement. Then he shook his head and said, "Come now children, time for you to get on the train"  
  
Zane looked around, and remembered that their train left from Platform 9 ¾, which he did not see. The he watched as Shelly aimed her cart at a solid wall which divided plat forms 9 and 10, and ran straight at it. He was about to call out, when she disappeared into the wall. His jaw simply disengaged. Prof. Granger leaned down and explained, "Through there is the platform we need to reach. I want you to do just like Shelly., and we will follow after you. Zane aimed his cart as ordered and began to run. At the last moment he closed his eyes, and expected to crash. Suddenly he felt himself hit something soft, that gave. Then he heard that something yelp, "Ow!"  
  
He opened his eyes and looked, he was in a new place, and he had run into Shelly. "Sorry, Shelly, I'm really sorry." He apologized profusely, but she just waved him off and smiled.  
  
That was when he saw it. It was an enormous old fashioned steam engine, painted scarlet. The sign on the side read, "Hogwart's Express". Soon the adults were through and helping the children load their trunks. Once they were settled in a compartment. The began to relax.  
  
They chatted idly for a few minute each expressing envy of the other's life style, Zane wishing he had grown up wizard, Shelly wishing she had grown up Muggle. Then they heard a ruckus outside their door. They looked and saw two girls, obviously their age, sprawled on the floor, laughing their heads off, beside their askew trunks, with a foul smell emanating from an inky substance in a puddle near the door.  
  
"Sorry 'bout the smell mates," said the first girl, who had dirty blonde hair and green eyes. "we slipped and Rachel's bottle of Stink Sap fell out."  
  
Zane helped the girls gather their things, and helped them store the trunks in their compartment. Once all were settled down they introduced themselves. The blonde said, "My name is Lo-Ith Voluth. Yes I know that is a bizarre name, but you will need to take it up with my mother."  
  
The other, who was sporting warm brown hair and bright blue eyes, said, "And I am Rachel Stonewater. Nice to meet you."  
  
Shelly reaced out her hands and said, "Shelly Longbottom, and this is Zane Cobalt. May I ask why you had a bottle of Stink Sap?"  
  
"Erm . . . well. . . " Rachel said.  
  
"what Rachel is trying to say is that she was planning on putting it in the Potions' teacher's morning tea," Lo-Ith informed them.  
  
Shelly looked appalled but Zane laughed, "That would be something to see. As long as you don't do it to the Transfiguration's teacher or the Assistant Herbology teacher."  
  
"Why are they off limits," Rachel said raising a brow.  
  
"'cause, the assistant Herbology teacher is her pop," said Zane, "And I got dibs on the Transfigurations teacher."  
  
They started to talk on a number of topics. They taught Zane how to play exploding snaps, and gobstones. He told showed off Nevermore, who wanted out of her cage. But as on any train ride, peace cannot last.  
  
"Damnit Longbottom," said an acidic voice from the door. They all looked up and saw the blondes. The girl continued, "You really should have more pride. Don't you know you are in a compartment full of mudbloods and half-breeds?"  
  
Rachel looked like she was about to explode. Zane beat her to rhetoric though, "Who the hell are you?" he asked.  
  
"I am," the girl responded, "Bellatrix Malfoy. And this is my brother," she said gesturing to the boy beside her, "Betelgeuse Malfoy. We are of a higher class than you can conceive." With that she turned her nose up and thought she would ignore him.  
  
"Well, if you have all that class," he responded, "Then why the hell don't you act like you have any? Listen here is an idea; how about you two shut your smug ferret-like little faces and go bother someone else?"  
  
Bellatrix looked stunned, no one spoke to her that way. She was enraged. She was about to wave her wand, when she realized that she had four pointed at her, and all she had was hers and her brothers. She turned on her heel and walked out. Her horrid perfume trailed behind her.  
  
"Um," asked Lo-Ith as they started putting their wands away, "Does anybody actually have a useful spell we could have fired at them?"  
  
"Nope," said Rachel.  
  
Shelly said, "No, my uncles gave me a book on useful spells for first years, but I haven't read it yet. They are all for corridor fights." With that with that Shelly pulled out a book from her bag. The book was called, Basic Curses and Hexes for your first year, or the WWW way to survive Hogwart's corridors.  
  
"I read some things in my charms book I would like to try," offered Zane, but he was ignored as Rachel snatched Shelly's book. "I love WWW products!" she called.  
  
"Well, I'll pass along the compliments to my uncles then," said shelly as she pulled out her potions book.  
  
"Wait, what do you mean 'pass along the compliments'? do you know the guys who created WWW?" Rachel grabbed Shelly's arms as she interrogated her.  
  
"Actually yes, they are my mother's brothers." Rachel mock fainted at this point back into her seat.  
  
"Um, ladies?" Zane asked, "What is WWW?"  
  
"Weasly!" yelled Rachel, "Wizard! Wheezes! The absolute best in magical pranking goods. Created by the absolute geniuses Fred and George Weasly. They raised the dung-bomb to an art form!"  
  
Lo-Ith was just laughing at her friend, and Shelly shook her head and said to Zane, "Actually my uncles are kinda idiots."  
  
After talking about different they pulled, the legendary "Swamp incident", and the unforgettable "Fire-works Fiasco" which supposedly shutdown the entire school. they said that their had only ever been four other pranksters to stack up to them, but their names were lost to history.  
  
After a few more hours, the train finally came to a halt at a station in a small town. "This is Hogsmeade," said Shelly, "Once we're third years, we can travel down here on certain weekends."  
  
Then a familiar voice called out, "First years, over here please. First years I need you over here." They looked and there was Prof. Granger holding a latern. She lead them to a set of docks and said, "It is Hogwart's tradition that first year student reach the castle their first time by boat across the lake. Please try to remain in the boats, but if you are accidentally tossed out, which should not happen if you remain seated and behaved, do not fear, the giant squid will place you back into the boat from which you fell. Now every one in the boats."  
  
"Did she say 'giant squid?'" Zane asked of Shelly, who just smiled and got in to the boat. Nevermore nudged close to his head and he stroked her. He assumed she might have a thing about boats. Rachel and Lo-Ith got into the same boat as Shelly and Zane, and the boat pushed itself off from the docks. Prof. Granger's boat lead the way and she lighted their way to the school. Zane watched as slowly, the shape of the immense castle took shape from the darkness. Lights in the windows danced and made the whole experience seem eerie. Zane involuntarily shivered. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Shelly's. she smiled and said, "It'll be okay. Nothing dangerous can happen at Hogwart's . . . can it?" they docked and walked to the main entry hall. It was then that Shelly received the answer to her question, a large suit of armour, with Mace raised, marched toward them, an eerie voice emanating from with in chanting "Kill! Kill!"  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
TBC!! Please Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 


	3. The Sorting Ceremony

Zane Cobalt, the Muggle-Born Slytherin  
  
The Sorting Ceremony  
  
As the suit of armor advanced, chanting "kill! Kill!" over and over. The first years began to edge back. Both Malfoy twins let out a shrill scream. Zane however was trying to remember something he'd read this summer. He pulled out his wand, and aimed at the armor. "Wingardium . . ." he made a swish with his wand, "Leviosa" he flicked his wand . . . and all of a sudden the apparently murderous armor was floating off the ground.  
  
Everybody stared at Zane, who could only say, "Holy shit! It worked!" with a flick of the wrist of his wand hand, he sent the armor flying. Prof. Granger had been intrigued when a first year had pulled out their wand so she had watched. Now she saw the armor in a pile against a far wall.  
  
"Excellent job Cobalt," she said. Then she turned her face to the armor and roared, "PEEVES!"  
  
Out of the armor rose a gray specter. "Just havin' a spot o' fun with the poppets. Wouldn't have hurt them." As Peeves saw the ever angrier look in Prof. Granger's eyes he bowed his hat and zoomed out saying only, "Bye!"  
  
Zane only stared as everyone else seemed to calm down. "What the hell was that?" he asked Prof. Granger.  
  
"That was Peeves, the school's poltergeist."  
  
"This school has a ghost?" he said in disbelief.  
  
"Actually," she said in her teacher voice, "it has several, but Peeves is not a ghost, and the ghosts will thank you not to refer to him as such."  
  
'Several ghosts?" was all Zane could think about. Why would there be ghosts?  
  
His thoughts were interrupted as Prof. Granger called for attention. "Students! It is Hogwart's tradition that all students be sorted into one of four houses. Your house will be your family while at Hogwart's. you will have classes with them, meals with them, and room with them. Also there is the tradition of the house points contest. Your successes will earn your house points, rule breaking will lose your house points. Now, you will enter in a slow double file line. You will walk up between the four house tables. When I call your name you will sit on the stool provided and I will place the sorting hat upon you. It will then look into your head and tell you which house you are best suited for." With that she turned around and all filed in behind her.  
  
The hat was tattered and torn and very, very old. It sang a fun song about the founders and what the houses meant. Zane had to admit it was a catchy tune ( A/N: I will not be writing a Sorting Hat Song because I cannot write lyrically. You don't even want to know about my singing. This is also the reason that I wrote Harry as missing the sorting in my other story).  
  
Prof. Granger took out a scroll and began to call out names. She quickly came to . . .  
  
"Cobalt, Zane"  
  
the sorting hat was placed upon him and a voice filled his head. "Hmm, yes, yes. You are a very interesting person. So familiar. Well, you have a thirst for knowledge, and a willingness for to do hard work. You are extremely brave, but . . . You want something. Don't you?"  
  
"I want power," he thought to the Sorting Hat. "I want the world to know that I am strong, I want to be strong enough to save those I care about."  
  
"Yes," the Hat whispered to him, "Ambition is what drives you. You thirst for power. Hopefully you will use it better than other members of your house . .. the house of .. .  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat shouted.  
  
The Malfoy twins whispered something to the head of the table and quickly all the applause he had been receiving died out. He held his head high none the less and took a seat at the head of the table, closest to the others. Shelly smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up. He mouthed the words 'good luck' to her as he took his seat. Rachel and Lo-Ith offered their condolences as he passed them.  
  
The next two were both sorted into Hufflepuff, and then one for Gryffindor, and then another for Slytherin, and then Prof. Granger called, "Longbottom, Shelly"  
  
The Hat sat upon her head for three minutes, all the while she went through several expressions. Eventually her face became one of surrender, and the Hat called "RAVENCLAW!"  
  
More names called, and then "Malfoy, Betelgeuse"  
  
That hat never even touched his head before it yelled out, "SLYTHERIN!"  
  
The same thing occurred when his twin sister was called. Then it wasn't long until, "Stonewater, Rachel."  
  
The hat was on her for three seconds when it called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Then a few more names and the last person was called, "Voluth, Lo- Ith"  
  
The Hat spent a full thirty seconds on her, and finally said, "GRYFFINDOR!".  
  
With the Sorting complete and everyone seated, Prof. Granger said, "Before I turn over the floor to our headmistress, I would like to take the honor of awarding the first house points of the year. Thirty points to Slytherin house for Mr. Cobalt's courage and early mastery of the levitation charm." The house, which she obviously expected to applaud, remained deathly silent. Zane didn't let his face show how this made him feel.  
  
Prof. Granger, gestured to Prof. McGonagall and sat down. Prof. McGonagall stood and said, "Welcome students. There will be a few start of term announcements and then you may begin your meal.  
  
"First, I would like to inform all first year, and remind the rest of you, that the forest on the edge of the school's grounds is strictly forbidden, hence it is called the "Forbidden Forest.'  
  
"Second, I would like you all to know that Mr. White, our grounds and games keeper has posted a full list of all contraband items. However he does wish that you do not attempt to disturb him in his cabin.  
  
"Third, I would like to have the honor of introducing our new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Auror Nymphadora Tonks." She gestured to the woman on her right. She wore her hair that day as a bright honey blonde, and a couple of electric blue marks on her cheeks. The teacher in question grimaced as her names was announced and looked pleadingly at the headmistress, who smiled kindly. "Students are of course never to refer to teachers by their first names, without express permission."  
  
Zane asked the person sitting next to him, whom he had not looked at, what an auror was. When no answer came he turned and looked and found a Malfoy glaring at him. "Forget it," he said and turned back.  
  
"Now, without further ado . . . Bon Appetite." With that the plates, goblets, and trays began to fill with food and drink. Zane quickly realized that he was famished. He began to eat quickly, but a question nagged at the back of his mind . . . "Where had this food come from?"  
  
once he had gorged himself on all the food he could reach, Prof. McGonagall stood and said, "Prefects! Please lead your classes to your common rooms."  
  
Zane stood and followed the student wearing the "prefect" badge. Nevermore squawked with distrust of these people. Zane had to agree. He followed down into what looked like the bowels of the school. dungeons. This did not sit well with Zane. His decsent into the stoney school was not happy. No none spoke to him. "Well," he thought to himself, "I guess they know that I'm a Muggle-born."  
  
They approached a portrait of a young man in Hogwart's robes, he wore Slythrin colors, and a Head-boy badge. "Memorize this!" called the prefect concededly, he then turned to the portrait and said, "Riddle was right." The portrait swung open and they entered the common room. They were guided to their dorm, and Zane quickly found his bed. He didn't figure he would find anybody to talk to, so he resigned himself to go to bed.  
  
His things were already at his bed, which he found fairly creepy. He dressed for bed, and took out his small battery powered alarm clock. He wound it up to ring at six in the morning, he had always been an early riser. As he fell asleep he dreamt not of flying around again, but of happieness, but of hardship.  
  
In his dream he was walking though a field where the grass kept wrapping around his feet. He was in a race, and he was racing against the three girls he had met on the train, but he wanted to help them. He wanted to win, but with them. He woke up in the morning, very confused. As he reached over to shut off his alarm, he noticed the foul looks from his roommates. He also found a note on his clock.  
  
"You are the first Mudblood in five decades to invade Slytherin house, and you won't survive the year to brag about it."  
  
He crumpled the note and threw it in the garbage. This would be a trying experience. He showered and dressed in his robes for the second time. He liked how they felt. He was ready and excited. By the time he got to breakfast, he saw many Slytherins already eating. He loaded a plate and left the Great Hall. He sat in a window sill on the second floor and ate. He didn't know why he had come this far just to eat break fast, but he figured it was as good a place as any to eat in silence.  
  
"Zane?" called a voice. He turned around, almost spilling his scrambled eggs, and saw Shelly headed his way.  
  
"Shelly?" he said, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"I saw you leave. I also saw the reception you got last night. It cant be easy on you." She smiled weakly, trying to cheer him up.  
  
"Thanks for checking up on me, but I'm fine." He looked into her eyes and saw real concern there. "Toast?" he offered from his plate. She took a piece and they had breakfast together in the hallway. They talked about his note, she said he should go to Prof. McGonagall about it. He said, he would rather deal with it on his own. Suddenly Nevermore came zipping up to them, with two pieces of parchment in her beak.  
  
Zane took the parchments and let Nevermore flutter to her place on his shoulder. He handed the one with Shelly's name on it to her. quickly he realized that this was his schedule. "Charms first," she said.  
  
"Potions," he said, "Double with the Gryffindors."  
  
"I gotta dash," she said, "it is a long way to the common room, and I need to pick up my things.  
  
He looked to Nevermore and said, "You not only picked up my schedule, but you picked Shelly's up too. You are one damn smart bird." He gave her a nibble of toast as he walked toward the Slytherin common room. When he finally got to the portrait of the Slytherin Head-Boy, he gave the password, but the boy looked down and smiled as he said, "Sorry, mate. The password has been changed."  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Dun dun Dunnnnn (Dramatic reverb) well? Any thoughts as to my third chapter? Please tell me . . . don't make me beg . . . don't make me . . . Oh pleeeeeaseeee!!! 


	4. Frustrations

Due to the number of positive replies I received, the story shall continue. I am sorry to those who think I am doing a bad job, submit suggestions, and if I either ignore them, or respond negatively, you are invited to stop reading.  
  
Zane Cobalt, the Muggle-Born Slytherin  
  
Frustration  
  
Zane stood there arguing with the portrait in front of his common room for ten minutes. "Listen," he said, "Do you think I wear this patch," he pointed to the Slytherin patch on his robes, "for my health. I am a Slytherin, just let me in.'  
  
"Sorry," said the portrait of the young man, "I can't just trust every mudblood I see. I have to be discreet."  
  
"I can't believe I am arguing with a painting," Zane said. Then his face lit up, "Put it to you this way," he took out is wand, rolled his eyes back a moment as he racked his brain for the right spell, then muttered, "Inflamare" with the tip of his wand blazing like a torch, he moved it close to the painting and said, "Open up or burn up."  
  
"Prefect!" the painting called.  
  
It suddenly swung open and there was sixth-year girl with a prefects badge looking down her nose at Zane. Her smile was the kind a cobra has just before it strikes. "I believe that is a detention for attempting to destroy school property." And with just that, she turned and let the portrait close, before Zane could get in.  
  
"Wait," he called, "what is the password?" but she kept walking until she was out of sight. Zane checked his watch. Class was starting right now. He would have to forgo his things for now. He began to run to the Potions classroom. As he burst into the room, he tripped over his own feet and landed in a heap at the teacher's feet. He recognized the teacher as Prof. Snape, assistant-Headmaster and head of Slytherin house.  
  
Snape looked down at him with contempt. Zane began to stand as Snape began to rant, "You are late, unprepared, and disruptive. Do tell me a reason that I should not give you detentions from now until you are SUPPOSED to graduate."  
  
As Zane stood, he straightened his clothes and said, "well one, I already have a detention tonight, a female Slytherin prefect should inform you today, two; I was locked out of the dormitory so I was unable to retrieve my things, hence I am unprepared. Three; well I am just really, really sorry?"  
  
Snape looked down at him, he turned away and said, "In this class there is no room for smooth tongues or talented wands. Tell me Mr. Cobalt, if I were to add boomslang to a boiling sleeping draught, what would occur?"  
  
Zane's eyes rolled up again as he began to rack his brain for his potions book. "Boiling you said?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Snape asked as he turned away. He was about to tell the class that evidently talent in charms wasn't everything when Zane said, "I believe that would cause an explosion with red flames, purple smoke and a resulting liquid that is . . . bright green."  
  
Snape turned to him and stared. Everyone just gaped as he answered the question almost perfectly. "Sorry, professor," Zane eeked out, "I don't remember what the green liquid would do if drunk."  
  
Snape had not even expected him to say explosions, much less the resulting colors, which were all correct. "take a seat," Snape said.  
  
"Um, Where?" asked Zane.  
  
"Anywhere."  
  
Zane looked around. All the Slytherins shifted so that there was no place for him to sit. Then he saw two Gryffindors slide apart and wave him over. It was Rachel and Lo-Ith. He sat down and Rachel said, "Amazing, how did you know that?"  
  
"I read the book," Zane said, as if that was what everyone had done. In the end Double Potions lasted all morning. He wound up with a two foot essay on the uses of boomslang in first-year level potions as punishment. Snape told him that he could write it during his detention tonight.  
  
Snape gave him the new password, Blood traitor, and let him leave five minute early to retrieve his things. By the time he reached charms, he was just in time. Prof. Flitwick cast a side long look at him. Charms was a nightmare. Every one decided to test their charm on him at least once. The rest of Slytherin had detentions before the class was over. Of course, they all blamed Zane.  
  
Then he had lunch. Again he grabbed a plate of food and walked out to the window he had gone to before. It wasn't long before Shelly found him again, but this time she wasn't alone. Rachel and Lo-Ith had come with him.  
  
"Hey big guy," Rachel called as she approached with her plate of food, "How ya holdin up?"  
  
"Lousy," he said.  
  
"What's wrong Zane?" asked Lo-Ith sweetly.  
  
"Every single Slytherin hates me. All because I'm Muggle-born."  
  
"Well," Shelly said, putting an arm around his shoulder, "if it makes you feel any better, there is a Ravenclaw and two Gryffindors who are on your side." He couldn't help but smile. It was good to know he would have friends. Things were going so well up to the point where the Malfoy twins and a small horde of Slytherins came up.  
  
"Grindwald, Longbottom," said Bellatrix in an acid voice, "If you are going to whore yourself out, do it to someone who is at least a real wizard. Not a Mudblood. And don't hang around with the Gryffindor Dykes," she said gesturing to Rachel and Lo-Ith. It happened so fast, no one knew what was happening. Zane threw a right hook that connected solidly with Bellatrix's jaw. Betelgeuse didn't let that sit, in a moment he and Zane were exchanging blows, and rolling in a fight of pure hatred.  
  
In moments one of the Slytherin lackeys called, "Teacher!" and they all bolted, "This isn't over Mudblood," Betelgeuse said, and with that her ran. Zane had a cut lip, a bruised cheek and a system full of adrenaline. He turned to see if the girls were alright. Rachel and Lo-Ith congratulated him on taking them on, but Shelly was storming off yelling over her shoulder, "Arse-hole!"  
  
Zane ran to catch up with her and said, "Was it what Bellatrix said about you? She was just being an . . ."  
  
"No," she snapped angrily, "It isn't about the Malfoys, its about you. I hate fights. You were acting just like my father."  
  
"Prof. Longbottom?"  
  
"No, not my daddy, my father." And without further explanation she left. This was not going well. Nevermore fluttered back to his shoulder, she had left during charms to get some food. She cawed and he agreed, "you said it."  
  
He left for the court yard. Now he had broom practice. In fact the teacher that had been reported by the Slytherin was the flying instructor, and the quidditch referee. Zane had heard other Slytherins call him a looser and a wash-out, but as Zane watched him limp down the corridor, he had a feeling that they were all wrong.  
  
As Zane stepped out into the sunlight, he couldn't help but feel better. Sunlight poured down and he was about to learn how to fly. He walked to the place where his schedule dictated he needed to be. There were two lines of brooms. All of them looked old and very worn. He knelt, with a wince, and looked one over. "It's a comet 380," said a voice.  
  
Zane turned around and found the voice belonging to the instructor. He looked at the man. He was fairly tall, but he leaned on one side towards a cane. His legs were in metal braces. "That is a very old broom," continued Mr. Wood. "That broom was brand new when I . . . well when I first had to take my position here, about seventeen years ago."  
  
"How did it happen?" asked Zane.  
  
"Oh, my legs? Well it was my first game in the starting line up, I was a professional quidditch player. I got hit by a bludger two minutes before the game ended. It bashed up my legs pretty bad. Unfortunately I didn't get to a decent Medi-witch fast enough. I said I would stay and play. By the time I got to one, she said that my legs would never heal properly. She said I was grounded. That I could never play . . . I could never play quidditch again."  
  
Zane looked at his legs, and then back to the broom and said, "I'll bet you were good."  
  
Mr. Wood smiled and said, "now when you buy your own broom you'll want one of the Thunderline series. Best you can get without paying professional price. If you can afford professional price, or happen to have a family member who can, you'll want a Viper series. Those are some top of the line brooms."  
  
Quickly other students began to show up. Not just Slytherins, but Gryffindors too. They were instructed to each stand behind a broom. As Zane slipped in with Rachel and Lo-Ith, he asked, "What was with Shelly?"  
  
Both of them just shook their heads. They were instructed to step up to the sides of their brooms, and place their hands out, palm down. Then they were told to give the command "Up" a few Slytherins eventually got their brooms to rise, but few others, no Gryffindors, were successful. Then Zane decided he would try. He said once in a loud clear voice, "Up!" Every broom that was still on the ground jumped into the waiting hand above it. He and the girls were both almost knocked from their feet with the force theirs had jumped with. Everyone looked at Zane who held his broom sheepishly in front of his body.  
  
Now they were to mount the brooms, and rise. He, unlike Madam Hooch, told the children to float around a bit and get used to the feeling. The air was filled with drifting pre-teens. Suddenly a rather large Slytherin didn't just bump Zane, he rammed him. Zane glared at the boy who just laughed as Betelgeuse hit him from behind. Zane was starting to get the gist of this game, and he didn't like it.  
  
Next time, Betelgeuse and the large boy came at the same time. Zane dropped twenty feet down, and Betelgeuse and the large boy crashed into each other. Every Slytherin glared at Zane. They lit off after him. He leaned forward on the broom, and it was like stepping on the gas. He was off like a shot. The Slytherins of course were tight on his tail. He heard the teacher calling him back but the Slytherins wouldn't let him alone. So he pushed harder and faster on his broom. Soon he found he was heading straight for a window. Luckily the window was open, and he squeezed through. His pursuers however were just as gallant. So he kept on flying. He was zipping around students and dodging ghosts (he still hadn't gotten used to the idea that they were intangible). He finally found himself on the first floor, and zipped out the front entrance. He looked back and two of his pursuers were gone, but fie still remained.  
  
He pushed out over the lake and was flying so low his toes were skimming the surface of the lake, just like he wanted. He saw the shadow moving beneath the surface and jerked the broom straight up. He could feel parts of himself smash against the broom, and he told himself he would have to find another way to do that. he gained altitude and heard another adversary fall at the hands . . . er . . . tentacles of the giant squid. He kept flying higher and higher. Then as the Slytherins were closing in, he pulled his own broom out from under himself and fell right past them. As he did so, he grabbed the tails of their brooms so that they over compensated and crashed into one another.  
  
Now he found himself in a freefall back to earth. He situated the broom with a normal hold with his hands, but instead of resting his body against it, he put his foot on the base, where the shaft met the bristles. He pulled up very sharp and suddenly and finally came to a stop a half an inch above the lake. With a smile and a laugh he took off, back to the courtyard where the others were waiting. He landed quite ungracefully and rolled to a stop. He let out a "who-me?" smile at the instructor who said, "I have never seen a Muggle-born fly like that. where did you learn that?"  
  
"Uh, just something I thought up.:  
  
Mr. Wood shook his head, "with a little practice I think you could make your quidditch team next year."  
  
Zane's eyes lit up. Rachel and Lo-ith smiled softly and shot him thumbs up signs. He heard Bellatrix say though, "Not bloody, likely. He wanted to hit her again so badly. But he also didn't want it getting back to Shelly that even after she had told him off he hit Bellatrix again. He would just have to live with the frustrations. 


	5. Family

Okie: well responses  
  
Satine: I shall do my best to continue. And I am glad you find it original.  
  
Luisa: as you wish.  
  
Anonymous: you were not negative, you were simply pointing out things that I should have justified somehow. I appreciate sharp minds reading my stories. Oh and spot on with the portrait.  
  
ER: thank you and I shall.  
  
Zane Cobalt, the Muggle-Born Slytherin  
  
Family  
  
Zane caught up with Shelly later that week. "Shelly!" he called after her.  
  
She started to speed up, but he got in front of her. "Shelly I am sorry. I didn't know fighting would upset you that much."  
  
She wouldn't look him in the eye. "It's just . . ." she began.  
  
"Just what?" he prompted.  
  
"Well, you have to understand, my daddy isn't the man who gave my mum me. In fact, until I was seven, my daddy was Uncle Neville, just a friend of my mum's. You see, my dad . . . that is my real father . . . he used to beat around my mum. I hated it. She would do everything to hide the marks from her friends. Finally one day she told one of my uncles, I have bloody lot of them. My father never came home from work. My mum had a divorce pushed through, didn't even ask for child support or alimony. She just wanted away from him. I never saw him again, not after that day my mum told." Shelly had tears in her eyes. "After a year, Uncle Neville started coming around a lot. And then he asked my mum to marry him." She looked up with sort of a crooked smile. "That was the best day of my life; when I lay in bed listening to him pop the question. It wasn't hard to switch to calling him Daddy. He never hurt my mum ever. In fact there are times when I think he might be a little afraid of her. I guess he'd have to be when she has six older brothers."  
  
"Six?"  
  
"Yeah, I have three younger sisters, and . . ." she looked both ways as if some one might be listening in. "I have a little brother just started on the way."  
  
"So that is why you hate fighting?" Zane asked. "Because it's what your father used to do to your mum?"  
  
"Yeah, sounds stupid though, huh?"  
  
Zane wrapped her in a light hug, "Not at all." He stepped back as he realized what he had been doing. He blushed and said, "er . . . well I cant promise I wont ever fight again . . . but I will try. Can I still duel?"  
  
Shelly smiled and said, "Sure, hex and curse all you want, but no fists."  
  
"So you aren't really a pureblood?" Zane inquired, remembering what Bellatrix had said on the train.  
  
"Oh no. I am a pureblood, but my mum refuses to tell me who he was. she says that she doesn't want me trying to find him and getting hurt. But she says very certainly that he was a pureblood."  
  
Zane considered this. "That's alright, I like ya even if you are a pureblood." He nudged her and gave her a wink. She laughed and put an arm around him. "So when's your next sister coming?"  
  
"She'll be starting when we are in our third year. Her name is Alice. Then in our fourth year joins Hermione, I think you can guess who she is named for."  
  
"Prof. Granger."  
  
"Right 'O. lets see then . . . Molly will be starting when we are in our last year. And we should be graduated quite some time when my brother starts."  
  
"That's a big family."  
  
"That's nothing compared to my mum's. you have my Uncle Charlie, who works for Gringott's as a curse breaker, my Uncle Bill, who works with dragon's outside Shanghai, my Uncle Percy, who works as Deputy Head of Muggle Relations, just under my grandfather, my Uncles Fred and George, they own that prank business that Rachel was talking about, my Uncle Ron is an Auror but they say he has something still going on the side. Then my mum is the youngest. I have twelve cousins, who are sneaking up behind me now aren't they?"  
  
Sure enough as she had been talking about her family a dozen students, all with fire red hair and Gryffindor robes had been sneaking up behind her. they lifted her up in a hug. The eldest was a seventh year girl. She eyed Zane warily. "This is a Slytherin you're hanging out with Shell."  
  
"Come off it Patty. He is my friend. Besides, he is the Muggle-born the school is talking about. Shelly turned back to Zane and said, "Okay this is my cousin, Patil, named for her mother's maiden-name. She is the Gryffindor Head Girl. That is her sister Lavender," she pointed to a shorter girl, "She is in fifth year. They are my Uncle Ron's kids."  
  
She pointed to a six very similar looking students, "Half of those are Uncle Fred's kids, the other half are Uncle George's." she began to point through them. "Lee, Frank, and Zonko are my Uncle Fred's. Tommy, Jean, and Aragass are Uncle George's. and no there is nothing wrong with your eyes. Both of my twin uncles had Triplets born two months apart. They are half of Gryffindor's fourth year class." Zane shook his head. Some of the names were weird.  
  
She pointed to a pair of seventh years, "They are Sotum," a boy, "And Parcill," a girl. "They are uncle Percy's kids." Then a sixth year boy and a fifth year girl in the back and said, "Those are my Uncle Charlie's kids. He is Peter and she is Draca."  
  
"Oiy," Zane said, "Just hearing about your family is tiring."  
  
"Yeah," said Patil, "But a big family makes for a great haul at Christmas."  
  
"Well, . . . er I'll um," Zane had become very uncomfortable with the topic. "I'll see ya around."  
  
He began to head off. Shelly bid her family good bye and caught up. "Are you okay?"  
  
He faked a laugh rather badly and said, "I pity the guy who tries to date you or your sisters, he'll have half of Gryffindor on him."  
  
"what is this about? You freaked out when Patty spoke. Do you not like her?"  
  
He turned back. And then heaved a sigh. "It was what she said, about Christmas."  
  
"She was kidding. . ."  
  
"No that isn't the problem. I . . . my family, we're atheisists. My parents refuse to teach me about other religions."  
  
Shelly stared at him. "So you don't celebrate anything but birthdays?"  
  
"Yeah I guess." He shifted.  
  
They didn't mention anything about it again. Months seemed to blur together. before they knew it, it was the start of Holidays. Rachel was headed home, and Lo-Ith and Shelly were staying behind. Zane had written home and told is parents he would stay at school and catch up on homework. His parents didn't even write back.  
  
It was Christmas Eve. There were five other students staying at Hogwart's, not one of the others was a Slytherin. Prof. McGonagall and Granger were eating at the staff table. Prof. Granger gave Zane a light nod as he walked in to the Great Hall. It was evening. The bewitched ceiling showed the night sky lightly snowing. Given the few students present, they had slimmed things down to one table. As Shelly sat down, Zane noticed she had brought a rather thick book with her.  
  
"Don't you know its rude to read at the table," he joked, knowing she did it at least twice a week.  
  
"Not if you're sharing with every one," she quipped. She stood up, and in an uncharacteristically bold fashion called out, "Is there anyone here who isn't Christian?"  
  
Not a soul raised their hand. She then called out, "Would anyone object to a reading of the First Noel before dinner?" Again no one said a word. Zane watched transfixed. She told of Joseph and Mary who were to be wed. Then she spoke of Mary's visit from an angel, who told her she would bear the child of god. He heard of Joseph's disbelief until he too was visited by an angel. Then he heard of their return to his home town of Bethlehem, and of their stay in a stable. He heard of how the baby was born and placed in a manger. The he heard of the sheppards being called by another angel to come and pay tribute to the baby. Then the tale of three kings, who were guided by a star to where the infant lay, and how those kings bowed down before what was apparently the son of a carpenter, and presented him with the finest gifts. They he heard of Herod and the plan to kill the baby. He heard of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus' flight into the desert. She concluded by saying "This is the word of the lord."  
  
Everyone save Zane responded, "Thanks be to god."  
  
That was the first time he had heard the story of Jesus' birth. He thought. He thought a lot that night. It was the first time he was able to think in the Slytherin common room. Of course the entrance painting didn't make it easy.  
  
The next morning he awoke to find two owls on the end of is bed. Nevermore was on her perch beside him. Then at the foot of his bed, he found for the first time, presents. He picked one up and opened it. It was from Sherry, there were three books inside, the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran. The note said, "you aren't what you don't choose to be. Make your own choice."  
  
The next was from Lo-Ith, it was a small bag of chocolate frogs, he had started colleting the cards. The problem was he kept getting Dumbledore's and Salazar Slytherin's.  
  
Rachel gave him a book entitled, "Curses and Jinxes you shouldn't know, but ought to." It was of course a WWW product.  
  
Then the last package was from Prof. Granger. It was book entitled "A first year's guide to Hogwart's." when he opened the book, a blank piece of parchment fell out. written in the margin of the map page were the words, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."  
  
The note she had left separately said, "This belonged to my fiancé. I think you can find a few good uses for it. Please try to only bend the rules, not break."  
  
As he held the blank parchment he looked at the message in the margin with puzzlement. He spoke, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good?' what does that mean?" but before he could inquire further, he noticed that the parchment was beginning to change. Curly letters appeared and a map appeared in the center. The top began:  
  
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs  
Proudly Present;  
The Marauder's Map of Hogwart's.  
  
Then he noticed that there were things moving about on the map. He looked at them. Each was labeled. Among others there was H. Granger, L.I. Voluth, and M. McGonagall. Then he kept looking. He notice that almost everyone was accounted for, with the exception of the grounds keeper and games keeper, Mr. Rigel White. But in his apartment was a dog shaped figure labeled P. Foot, and a human shaped figure Labeled R. Lupin. "Probably has visitors," he thought. "How do I clear this?" he wondered aloud.  
  
Suddenly below the map words began to appear, "Messr. Prongs suggests you tap the map with your wand,:  
  
Then more, "And Messr. Padfoot reminds Messr. Prongs to that you are going to need to say, 'Mischief Managed.'  
  
Again, in a different name, "Messr. Moony would like to welcome the newest user of the Marauders' Map.  
  
Then a fourth, "Messr. Wormtail hopes that the new user has as many adventures as our previous user, the one who called himself Messr. Prongs Jr. Or at least as much fun as our user before him, Messr. Weasly and Weasly." 


	6. Life Threatening

Life Threatening.  
  
Zane hadn't told anybody about the thinking map, or about the names he saw on it. His life was still confusing. Luckily he hadn't made Shelly angry anymore. He tried to live a normal Hogwart's life, but it was difficult because people kept trying to set him off. Every Slytherin student dried to knock him down, piss him off, or hit him when a professor wasn't looking. If he needed help Gryffindor students ignored him, Hufflepuffs (though helpful) couldn't help, and Ravenclaws were usually too busy.  
  
It was getting towards the end of the school year when things started to get scary. There were two months left in the school year. It was a muggy, rainy morning. His alarm went off as usual, and Zane reached over to shut it off, when he suddenly could not remove his hand. Then he felt a strange tug behind his navel. Before he knew what was happening he was free falling in midair.  
  
He screamed as he saw himself headed for the hard ground below. He expected to die from the fall, only to have something ram into him. He looked to find it was actually a someone. It was a man with salt and pepper hair, and an unhappy look on his face. He landed beside the small cabin near the forbidden forest.  
  
The man rounded on Zane, "What did you think you were doing?"  
  
Zane backed away in fear as he held his hands up, "I swear sir, I don't know how I got up there."  
  
"What do you mean? You have to know. Were you trying some levitations spell on yourself?"  
  
"No sir. I just shut off my alarm this morning and there I was." Zane was panicked. Would he be kicked out of the school? Was this the end?  
  
"Wait," the man's expression shifted from angry to suspicious. "Did you feel a tug behind your navel?"  
  
"Uh," now that Zane thought about it. . . "Yes sir, I did."  
  
"Portkey," muttered the old man.  
  
"Sir?" inquired Zane.  
  
"Someone turned your alarm into a portkey."  
  
"What's that?" Zane asked, now turning angry himself.  
  
"Its an object that transports an individual or individuals who are touching it from one place to another almost instantly."  
  
"Sir," Zane asked. "Who are you? And how would someone do that?" why someone would do that, Zane could guess easily enough.  
  
"I am Rigel White," gruffed the old man. "And as to how, the person would have to be at least a sixth year advanced charms student."  
  
"Plenty of those in Slytherin house," mused Zane.  
  
"Ah, a Gryffindor are ya?" asked Mr. White.  
  
"No sir," said Zane as he followed the old man into his hut. The hut itself was huge, as was everything inside. Despite the fact that it was all one room, everything inside seemed to be made for someone much larger than normal. "I'm Slytherin."  
  
"Well then why would ya think that Slytherins would try to kill ya?" he took out some parchment and a quill.  
  
"I'm a muggle-born sir. All of Slytherin hates me."  
  
"Pity," he said sarcastically. "Padfoot!" the old man roared. In through the back door trotted a happy, but huge, black hound. Its tongue lolled about as he sniffed Zane. It licked its chops in a way that made Zane extremely uncomfortable. "take the kid to the headmistress with this note," the old man instructed the dog. He turned to Zane and said, "Go with Snuffles, and I'll give ya nickels worth of free advice that an old friend gave me; CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" With that, Rigel White waved Zane out dismissively.  
  
Snuffles, the enormous black dog took Zane all the way to the to Prof. McGonagall's office. Once there Prof. McGonagall called in Professors Snape and Granger. "So can you explain why Mr. White believes that one of your classmates tried to kill you?"  
  
Zane related the whole story to them. They all nodded their heads slowly. As time was short they told Zane to come back that afternoon after classes. Then at that meeting they decided that Zane should try not to go places alone. From then on at times when Zane wasn't with the girls, Snuffles walked with him. Zane actually decided that he liked the dog. It would often snap at other Slytherins, and would attract attention from the women because he was "A cute doggie". It seemed to Zane that this was the dog's goal. It also seemed to scare a few of the pure blood Hufflepuffs. They always screamed something about a grim.  
  
On weekends Zane would do some flying, with the permission of Mr. Wood, with Shelly and Rachel and Lo-Ith. They were all hoping to make house teams when the time came. Both Zane and Shelly were set on becoming Chasers. Rachel and Lo-Ith wanted to be seekers.  
  
Unfortunately someone else noticed how regularly they trained. That someone was the last person they wanted watching them. It was closing on the last week. After fretting over exams, they had completed them. Rachel and Lo-Ith had scraped by with a little elbow room, Shelly had passed with flying colors, and Zane had fit himself into that average area.  
  
They were blowing off steam that weekend, when Betelgeuse Malfoy flew up to them. "Oiy, Mudblood!"  
  
Zane had grown to hate that term with every time that a Malfoy or one of their cronies used it. He let his cold eyes fall upon Malfoy. "What is it?"  
  
"You fancy yourself a fair chaser?" Malfoy's tone was not as playful as it sounded. It held some hidden meaning inside. Something was definitely wrong with the way he asked that.  
  
"Yeah, as a matter of fact I am a good chaser. Why do you care?" they began to circle each other higher and higher into the air.  
  
"Fact is," said Malfoy smugly. "I myself am a keeper. And no matter how good you THINK you are, I can stop any quaffle you put in motion. So you have no hope of making it to the quidditch team."  
  
Malfoy was using all the right moves to get Zane steamed. It took ever amount of self-restraint Zane had not to knock Betelgeuse from his broom. "Would you be willing to put a wager on that?"  
  
Malfoy smiled. "The quidditch pitch is open, I say you and me. Score vs. block. No beaters, no seekers, just you and me, and the quaffle make three."  
  
"You're on," Zane said as he zoomed to the pitch, with Malfoy hot on his heels. Lo-Ith and Shelly exchanged an exasperated look and shook their heads. It was obvious to both of them that Malfoy was up to something. Rachel just whooped and followed the boys.  
  
On the quidditch pitch Zane was shooting goals, and Betelgeuse was stopping a good half of them. Zane was frustrated. It seemed that every other quaffle he tossed was stopped. He quickly realized one thing; Malfoy hadn't been lying when he said he was a good keeper.  
  
After an hour of play, with looks of pure hatred shining from both, Malfoy checked his watch. His face looked almost panicked as he quickly hurled the quaffle at Zane. Zane was pleased that the game was going longer than Malfoy expected. That was the only thought he got out before he grabbed the quaffle, and once more his hand stuck, and he felt a jerk behind his navel. . . . 


	7. Near Death

Responses: okay, I owe you all an apology. Charlie works with the dragons, by the way he was transferred to study serpent dragons in china, and Bill is the Gringott's curse breaker. A thousand billion apologies.  
  
Zane Cobalt, the Muggle-Born Slytherin  
  
Near Death  
  
Zane came to a tumbling stop in a heap. He was on a cold stone floor. As his head stopped spinning, Zane looked around. Tall columns supported the ceiling, which was not visible in the gloom. The columns were carved to look like snakes. At the far ends were a door and a statue of a man he had seen somewhere before. At the other end was a heavy iron door. It stood open, but in the gloom before it stood a woman. She was thin and old. Both were evident on her face. "are you sure master?" she asked someone Zane could not see.  
  
"Yes," boomed a voice from behind. "That is the boy. Destroy him now."  
  
"What's going on?" Zane asked as he began to rise.  
  
"Just the end of a legacy of shame," answered the woman.  
  
Zane reached for his wand, but the woman cast her spell before he had the chance. "EXPELLIMIARTE!" Zane was knocked backwards and his wand flew out of his hand to the ground. the woman caught the wand and grinned a frightening and twisted grin. "Shall I sire?" she asked the person behind her.  
  
"Yes, it would be appropriate that my wand end this all. But first, make him scream. Imagine, a Mudblood in my ancestor's house. It's a travesty."  
  
"As you wish m'lord," she said, savoring the moment. She aimed the Zane's wand at Zane and called out, "CRUCIO!"  
  
Zane had never felt anything like the pain he was feeling now. It shot through his whole body. He screamed loud and long the scream only this spell could elicit; the scream of the greatest agony. She waited a moment, and then hit him with the spell again, and again he screamed. He tried to focus his mind. He tried to draw it away from the pain, but there was nothing in this new world of darkness and stone, but this pain. Then in one of the pauses, his body gave in. he no longer tried to stand, he didn't even try to move. He just lay prone. A wicked smirk crossed the woman's face.  
  
Then something happened. Zane felt new strength enter his body. Then he heard a voice, low and soft, like someone whispering in his ear. It said, "I'll take it from here kid, you relax." Then his body stood. Zane thought of it just that way. 'His body stood' but he never gave the command. It stood and looked straight at the woman. Her face was covered in shock and then in hatred. She looked at him and began to cast again, but Zane's body beat her to it. Zane's body shoved his palm towards her and called out "Expellimiarte!" as both wands flew from her hands, Zane's body leapt, turned a flip in mid-air, while catching both and landed with a spin to face her, wand at the ready. As her eyes widened, Zane's mouth called out, "Stupefy!" A red bolt shot out and slammed straight into the woman. She fell to the ground a few feet back.  
  
Zane's body stood and looked into the gloom where the voice had come from. Zane couldn't see anyone there, but the voice called out all the same, "You haven't won. You've just delayed the inevitable once again. I will always be. I will always return!"  
  
Zane's mouth, still without orders from Zane, responded, "Then so will I. even if all I do is delay you, it is another day those I love live free."  
  
"This isn't over," growled the shadowed voice. "This will never be over." With that he muttered a spell Zane couldn't hear and then a long, large, dark shadow swallowed the woman, and the receded.  
  
Zane suddenly felt the strength he had suddenly received, leave him just as quickly as it had come. He collapsed and lay prone on the floor. Then he saw a figure before him. It was grainy, as if her were made of sand or dust, or simply not truly there. The figure was tall and lean. He wore round black glasses and had a mark on his forehead just like Zane's birthmark. It looked like a scar. His green eyes sparkled from behind the glasses as he said, "C'mon kid. You gotta get through that door to the pipes, or they may never find ya."  
  
"Who . . . What?" Zane stammered to complete a coherent thought. "What the hell are you?"  
  
"Me?" the figure responded, "Just think of me as a guardian angel."  
  
"Why did you get here when you did?" Zane asked as he started crawling as the "angel" had instructed.  
  
"Actually," he responded with a smile, "I've always been here. and I always will be there. But you don't need me. You are strong enough to protect yourself."  
  
"But . . ." Zane began to ask, but the figure waved good-bye and seemed to disintegrate like sand in the wind. Zane continued to crawl in the direction the "angel" had pointed. He was confused beyond all belief, but he was not giving in. he couldn't raise himself, but he could crawl; slowly. It was a few hours later when he finally reached a dead end. He had the strength to stand by now, but he was still shuffling. He leaned against the rocks at the bottom of the pipes. "Great," Zane thought. "Now what?"  
  
That was when he heard a thunderous explosion in one of the upward pipes. Then debris fell down the pipe in the center. Finally a voice called down the pipe. "HELLO! ANYONE DOWN THERE?"  
  
"I'M HERE!" called Zane.  
  
"I'M COMIN' DOWN FOR YA. HOLD ON!" called the voice from above.  
  
After a few seconds a rope fell from the pipe to the ground before him. Then a few minutes later a figure appeared, repelling on the rope. When he reached the ground, he disconnected, and walked over to Zane. Zane saw his red hair and said, "Weasly," with a faint smile.  
  
"Yup," said the man. "My name's Ron. I expect you know one of my nieces or nephews. You must be Zane right?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. I know Shelly," he filled in.  
  
"Figures. Gin's been tellin' me all year about how she is so amazed her little girl made friends with a Slythrin, no offence."  
  
Zane smiled. "None taken." After saying that Zane promptly fainted dead away.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!111  
  
When Zane awoke he was in the hospital wing. His eyes fluttered open to see a very unhappy Madam Pomfrey talking to Prof. McGonagall and Prof. Snape. "I couldn't believe it," she yelled at them. "I performed the test five times to be sure."  
  
"and you are?" asked Prof. Snape.  
  
"Positive," she said firmly. "The boy was placed under the cruciatus curse no less then five times."  
  
"Unbelievable," Prof. McGonagall gasped. "And Mr. Weasly said that he was holding a coherent conversation before he fainted. To keep his wits about him under that kind of torture . . ." she paused, "The boy must have a guardian angel."  
  
"Truly lucky," Prof. Snape said in a suspicious tone, "That he knew to head toward the pipes, and that he was there when Mr. Weasly opened the Chamber, and that he is alive after all of that. Quite lucky indeed. The kind of luck I have only seen one other student show."  
  
Prof. McGonagall gave him a stern look. "Severus, this one is Slytherin. He couldn't possible have anything to do with him."  
  
"I know, but I did genuinely object to the way the boy flouted the rules, simply because he was lucky enough to live through the consequences."  
  
The door at the end opened, and Prof. McGonagall stuck her head in. "Excuse me, Madam Pomfrey?" she said. "They were wondering if they could see him now."  
  
"Not until he wakes up," decreed Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"But I am up," Zane finally spoke. 


End file.
